غُلام
ġulāmmasculine
The English word 'slave' can be translated into Urdu using several terms, most commonly غُلام (ġulām). Wiktionary also lists عَبْد ('abd) and داس (dās).
Meaning: person owned by another (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| غُلام | ġulām | masculine |
| عَبْد | 'abd | masculine |
| داس | dās | masculine |
| بَنْدَہ | banda | masculine |
The term refers to a person owned by another. If you wish to refer to the state of being a slave, or the concept of slavery, use the noun غلامی.
Which one should you use?
The word غُلام is the most common and neutral term for a slave or servant. The term عَبْد is specifically used in a religious context, often meaning 'servant of God'. For poetic or humble descriptions of a devotee of God, use بَنْدَہ. The word داس is a more literary or archaic term often found in historical contexts or classical poetry.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is ġulām.
Did you know?
- While غُلام means 'slave', it is also a common male given name in South Asia. When used as a name, it is almost always the first part of a compound name, such as غلام محمد, meaning 'slave of Muhammad'.
- The term بَنْدَہ literally means 'servant' or 'slave', but in everyday Urdu conversation, it is often used as a humble substitute for the word 'I' or 'me' when speaking to a superior.
- In Urdu, someone might call themselves a غُلامِ of a person or a concept to signify that they are a 'die-hard fan' or a very loyal supporter.
Examples in context
- وہ ایک غُلام تھا۔woh ek ghulam tha.He was a slave.
- پرانے وقتوں میں غُلام ہوتے تھے۔purane waqton mein ghulam hote thay.There used to be slaves in olden times.
- اس غُلام کو آزاد کر دیا۔is ghulam ko azad kar diya.They freed this slave.
Example conversation
Zainab and Ahmed are discussing a history book.
- زینب Zainabاس کہانی میں ایک غُلام ہے۔Is kahani mein ek ghulaam hai.There is a slave in this story.
- احمد Ahmedوہ کہاں رہتا ہے؟Woh kahan rehta hai?Where does he live?
- زینب Zainabوہ ایک بڑے محل میں رہتا ہے۔Woh ek bare mahal mein rehta hai.He lives in a big palace.
- احمد Ahmedیہ بہت دکھ بھری کہانی ہے۔Yeh bohat dukh bhari kahani hai.This is a very sad story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slave” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
